The present invention relates to an anti-friction bearing comprised of a shaft, two raceways in the shaft, two outer races, a plurality of balls serving as bearing elements between the raceways and the outer races, cage means for retaining the balls in their raceways, a bushing between the outer races and a specially formed shoulder on the bushing to enable loading of the balls in the uppermost raceway when the shaft is held vertically.
Various types of anti-friction bearings are known. These bearings, however, are difficult to assemble when their shafts are positioned vertically. In one type of anti-friction bearing shown in German Application DE-OS No. 20 08 385, a bushing is located between the outer races for fixing the axial distance between the outer races. The bushing of this bearing does not fulfill any other function. Further, this bushing is more a hindrance than a help when installing balls in the raceways in the shaft. Specifically, if one wants to provide as many balls as possible in each raceway, in order to obtain high loading capacity, it is necessary to shift the shaft eccentrically with respect to the outer races in order to be able to introduce and distribute the balls in the crescent-shaped space which is produced between the shaft and the outer race to which the shaft is eccentric. The first row of balls can be installed in the first raceway relatively easily since the bushing can in this case be omitted. Before the mounting of a second row of balls in the second raceway, however, the bushing must be put in place. Then the shaft is tilted eccentrically with respect to the second outer race which defines a crescent-shaped space between the shaft and the outer race into which the balls are introduced. The second row of balls are preferably introduced from above with the shaft positioned vertically. However, the crescent-shaped space in this case opens toward the inside of the bearing so that the balls drop out of the space between the inner raceway and the outer race. Assembly of the bearing with the shaft vertical is therefore almost impossible.